


it's gotta be you

by oikawakaashi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Falling In Love, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-03 08:16:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10963287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oikawakaashi/pseuds/oikawakaashi
Summary: Three years into college at separate universities, Oikawa thinks he and Iwaizumi have nailed being apart. He's a little screwed when he realizes he's wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this last night then realized I left something out!! So I took it down but it's back now! 
> 
> Everything I'll ever write will be based off of a song. This is based off of "It's Gotta Be You" by Isaiah.

“Tell me about your students.”

Oikawa pauses where he’s scratching a note about punctuation onto the margin of an unfortunate essay - how did this one get into Waseda, anyway? - and readjusts his phone between his cheek and shoulder.

“Huh?” he offers.

“Your students,” Iwaizumi laughs on the other end of the line, and it’s a little staticky but it’s still him, and texts just aren’t enough these days. “You like being a TA?”

 “Oh,” Oikawa says, crossing out an entire paragraph of the paper with a frown. “They’re all horrible.”

Iwaizumi laughs again, and he sounds far away, so Oikawa knows he pulled the phone back so it wouldn’t be so loud in Oikawa’s ear. It makes him smile, imagining it.

“They can’t be that bad.”

Oikawa whacks his pen against the desk. “They are! You should  _ read  _ what I’m grading. ‘The Harvard of Japan,’ they call us, and this guy gets accepted. It's like a slap in the face to me and everyone else who works hard.”

“You can't expect me to believe that everything you wrote in your first year of college was incredible.  _ I  _ edited that final Philosophy paper, Oikawa.”

“I got  _ well over  _ a 90 on that paper!”

“You had a  _ very  _ generous TA.”

Oikawa whines and realizes he's written his own name in the margin of the essay. That's what he gets for trying to talk and edit, he supposes. He scribbles over it till it's unreadable and writes “sorry!” next to it. He's reached the end of it anyway, so he writes the grade at the top and sets it on the stack of finished copies. He allows himself a moment to close his eyes and sit back against his chair.

“You sound distracted,” Iwaizumi says.

“Yeah,” Oikawa sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. “I am, I guess!”

“That's okay. I can call back in the tomor-.”

“No!” Oikawa jolts upright. “I'm fine! You...haven't even told me about  _ your  _ day!”

“ _ My  _ day?” He sounds amused. “It was fine. I actually had lunch with Karasuno’s old captain. You remember him? Sawamura?”

“Of course I remember him,” Oikawa says, reaching for the next essay. “I didn't realize he’d stayed in the area. How is he?”

“Wow,” Iwaizumi whistles. 

Oikawa frowns. “What?”

“That was such a respectable response! From  _ you _ !”

“Hey!” Oikawa scrunches up his nose. “You think I'd hold a grudge like that for  _ three  _ years? Or were you expecting me to be jealous of yet another person who gets to see you in real life?”

“It would  _ not  _ be the first time,” Iwaizumi says, ignoring the second question entirely. He's too smart to rise to that bait, Oikawa thinks. “So, yeah, I was expecting a little more...thinly veiled hatred."

“I have nothing but respect for him,” Oikawa sniffs. “Anyone who can be within two meters of Tob-.”

“ _ Oikawa _ .”

“Alright, alright! His receives were good and he was a good...leader!” Oikawa reads the first line of the new essay as he speaks and wants to cry. It's nearly one in the morning and he needs to finish these tonight, but the lack of writing ability is making it hard on his psyche.

“I'm proud of you for getting through that,” Iwaizumi says, taunting. “It must've been so hard to think of real compliments.”

“You  _ live  _ to hurt me,” Oikawa says through a wide smile. He hears Iwaizumi scoff.

“I’d like to think that goes both ways.”

“Yeah, you  _ would _ .”

“And I'd be  _ right _ .”

Oikawa’s smiling so hard his cheeks are starting to hurt, but after a few beats of silence it begins to fade. It's bittersweet, talking like they always did. 

Oikawa misses him.

He clears his throat and says, “So, how  _ is  _ Captain-kun?”

“Capta-? Oh. He's good. I see him around a lot because he's in Kinesiology, too.”

“You jocks, all the same.”

“Shut up,” Iwaizumi huffs. “His boyfriend joined us at the end, but we didn't have much time to catch up.”

“His boyfriend,” Oikawa shuts his eyes and thinks. “Ah! That silver-haired setter?”

“Yeah, Sugawara. Suga,” Iwaizumi corrects himself. “He asked me to call him that. It feels so casual.”

“It  _ is  _ casual,” Oikawa hums. “Are you the third for their threesomes now?”

“Shut up.”

“When's the wedding?”

“Oh my god.”

“Gonna be Captain-kun’s running buddy?”

Iwaizumi is suspiciously silent. Oikawa sets his pen down.

“Iwa-chan?”

“...We’re both night runners, so it just makes sense.”

Oikawa throws his head back and laughs so hard that his phone slides off his shoulder and onto the bed.

“Sorry, sorry,” he says when he picks it up, high-pitched because he's definitely tearing up. Everything is funnier, this late at night.

“It's fine,” Iwaizumi sounds softer. It makes Oikawa’s chest squeeze tight.

“What's that voice for?” He asks. He tries to sound teasing but it just comes out a little quiet.

“Ah. I just miss you.”

Well, now his chest doesn't feel so tight. It feels like it might explode.

“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa gasps.

“What?!” Iwaizumi sounds equally as panicked, but by Oikawa’s outburst rather than his own words.

“You can't just  _ say _ that!”

“Why not? It's  _ true _ !” 

Iwaizumi sounds confused, and Oikawa can perfectly picture the little wrinkle between his brows. It doesn't help. He covers his face with his free hand. 

“I miss you, too,” he finally says. 

“ _ Yeah _ . I know,” Iwaizumi murmurs, and a moment later Oikawa hears him yawn. “I should get going.”

“Hmm,” Oikawa realizes he hasn't made it past the first sentence of the essay he's grading and nods to himself. “Okay, yeah. I'll call you this weekend?”

“Sounds good. After 3, if you call on Saturday. I've got a study group.”

“So smart, Iwa-chan. Such a good student.”

“Grade your papers, asshole.”

“ _ Goodnight _ ,” Oikawa sings.

“Night, Oikawa.”

Oikawa hangs up and leans over to plug his phone into the charger. When the screen lights up, he stares at the wallpaper - a selfie he’d taken years ago after practice with the entirety of  _ his _ team at Seijoh behind him - until the screen goes dark again. It's a cute photo, he thinks. Yahaba is elbowing Kyoutani, and Iwa-chan isn't quite looking at the camera, and Hanamaki is giving Kindaichi bunny ears. But it's cute, like that.

His focus returns to the essays. After the one he's currently working on, there’ll be six more. He could be done in an hour, if he's determined. Rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms above his head, he gets back to work.

 

***

 

“Somebody looks like a tired little goblin this morning,” Kuroo says as he drops his backpack on the table and slides into the seat beside Oikawa. “And it's you.”

Oikawa lifts his head from where he’d been resting it in the pillow of his arms and scowls, bleary-eyed. He's still wearing his glasses, because his eyes had been so dry this morning that his contacts had all but jumped out, and he takes them off to clean the smudges.

“Every single day, you make it more and more clear to me that I'm your friend out of necessity, and nothing more.” 

“Mhmm,” Kuroo waits for Oikawa to put his glasses back on, then hands him a coffee cup. “Your latte, King Goblin.”

“Thanks,” Oikawa takes a quick sip and hums, leaning into Kuroo’s shoulder. “You can be the boss knight in my goblin army.”

“I'm honored,” Kuroo says. He reaches into his backpack and slides out his laptop, then drops the bag on the floor between his feet. “Why’d you get to class so early if you were gonna show up like this?”

“Please stop bruising my fragile ego,” Oikawa reaches into his backpack for his own laptop. “I wanted to beat you here.”

“ _ Why _ ?”

“Because!” Oikawa lowers his voice when he gets a few pointed looks. “You pride yourself on the ease with which you make it to morning classes.”

“That's so petty. I’m a morning person,” Kuroo says, defensive.

“You're a morning person,” Oikawa repeats with a nod, lip curling in disgust. “You don't even drink coffee.”

“I just appreciate the power of tea,” Kuroo says, lifting his thermos and tipping it back and forth. “Coffee caffeine makes me jittery.”

“Coffee caffeine is how I achieve  _ basic _ levels of functioning.”

“You're gonna die, like, tomorrow.”

Oikawa frowns at him, but their professor walks in just then with an apology for being late, so he turns to his laptop.

Fifteen minutes later, his phone buzzes in his pocket. It's a text from Kuroo.

[KT<3 - 8:18am] so why DO u look like garbage

Oikawa glances at him but Kuroo’s attention is focused to the front of the room.

[Me - 8:18am] I was up late! Talking to Iwa-chan and grading 

[KT<3 - 8:19am] grading does THIS to u?? How is it possible that people call u “sexy professor”

Oikawa squints at him, but Kuroo’s still typing.

[KT<3 - 8:19am] how’s Iwaizumi

[Me - 8:20am] He’s good! (⌒▽⌒)

[Me - 8:21am] He’s doing hard science stuff all the time so he tried to explain it to me which was unsuccessful

[Me - 8:21am] and he saw Karasuno’s old captain and vice captain yesterday too

[KT <3 - 8:22am] gross

[Me - 8:23am] I still don't understand your thing about them! Weren't you all friends?

[KT <3 - 8:24am] keep ur friends close and…

[Me - 8:24am] freak

[KT <3 - 8:25am] exactly. nailed it. keep ur friends close and freak

Their professor turns the lights off as she switches to the projector, and Oikawa scrambles to turn his brightness down. He quickly types some notes as she lectures, and when he looks at his phone again there are five new messages. 

[KT <3 - 8:27am] so anyways

[KT <3 - 8:27am] are you two still doing that thing

[KT <3 - 8:28am] where you dance around each other

[KT <3 - 8:28am] and pretend like the 15 years you've known each other hasn't amounted to just like

[KT <3 - 8:29am] disgusting sexual tension

Oikawa feels the his cheeks go hot. He kicks blindly at Kuroo’s ankles, but misses entirely. Kuroo lounges when he sits, sinking in his chair, and his feet are probably hidden underneath the row in front of them.

[Me - 8:31am] How many years have we been friends and you still talk about this??

[Me - 8:32am] Yet again, you don't know what you're talking about

[KT <3 - 8:32am] preeeeeeeetty sure I do

[KT <3 - 8:32am] I'm very observant and ur easy to read

[KT <3 - 8:32am] I give u my blessing he's cool

[KT <3 - 8:33am] childhood friends. Such a cliche it's adorable 

Oikawa sees his opening.

[Me - 8:34am] oh? And how IS Kenma-kun? Ken-chan? YOUR childhood friend?

Oikawa dodges a kick. Kuroo turns his phone over on the table and pouts.

It’s not Kuroo’s fault, Oikawa thinks with a grin, that he’s so off base about Oikawa and Iwaizumi’s friendship. Maybe he’d think the same, on the outside looking in. Kuroo’s hardly even seen them together. It’s easy to misunderstand close friendships like theirs. 

“You’re blushing,” Kuroo says under his breath.

This time, Oikawa’s kick lands.

 

***

 

Oikawa’s curled up in the booth at the coffee shop on campus that evening, hunched over Econ homework, when Hanamaki slides into the seat opposite him and pulls his latte out of reach.

“I’m cutting you off, Captain,” he says when Oikawa gasps.

“You’re  _ what _ ?” Oikawa frowns, shoving his work aside and making grabby hands at the coffee. “Give it back.”

“You’ve been here for my  _ entire shift _ ,” Hanamaki says, shrugging as he moves to stand up again. “And this is like, your third drink. If you want, I’ll go make something decaf.”

“But then it doesn’t  _ work _ ,” Oikawa whines. “Let me have it.”

“Nope,” Hanamaki stands, Oikawa’s coffee in hand. “It’s for your own good. Your parents and Iwaizumi would literally murder me if I let you die by caffeine.”

“Why does everyone think I’m going to die?!” Oikawa cries, making one final weak attempt for his stolen drink. Hanamaki holds it just out of reach and laughs. Tilting his head, Oikawa gives his best puppy-dog eyes. “Makki, you’ve always been my favorite.”

“Don’t lie to my face, Captain, it’s insulting.” 

Hanamaki walks away and Oikawa watches him go around the counter, behind the bar, and promptly dump it out into the sink. He’s back a minute later with two waters, and takes a seat.

“How long are you sticking around?” He asks. Oikawa glances at the homework in front of him, the open textbook beside it. He sighs.

“Two hours?”

Hanamaki nods and takes a sip of his water. “That’s about when I get off. I’ll walk you home.”

“Ooh, Makki, so  _ chivalrous _ ,” Oikawa leans his elbows on the table and tips forward. “Gonna make a move?”

“Please,” Hanamaki rolls his eyes and shoves Oikawa’s forehead lightly. “You’re off the market, Oikawa.”

Oikawa’s phone lights up between them - [Iwa-chan!! <3 - 6:44pm] - and Hanamaki grins with raised eyebrows at the sight of it. Oikawa snatches it off the table, suddenly feeling like there’s something to be embarrassed about. He unlocks his phone to read it, but it’s just an image. In it, Iwaizumi is holding up a peace sign and right next to him, shoulder to shoulder, is a smiling Sawamura Daichi. A moment later, another message arrives.

[Iwa-chan!! <3 - 6:45pm] Running buddies.

It startles a laugh out of Oikawa, so loud that Hanamaki jumps and curses. Oikawa puts his phone down and muffles his laughter in his hands. 

“Iwaizumi’s not  _ that  _ funny,” Hanamaki says, but he looks amused and Oikawa sticks his tongue out.

“It’s…” Oikawa hesitates, looking away. “An inside joke. I guess. Whatever, aren’t you working?”

“We blue collar beauties need breaks, Oikawa,” Hanamaki lifts the back of his hand to his forehead and sighs dramatically. “But I’ll go, I’ll go. I see you’re busy now.” He wiggles his fingers at the phone.

“I’m busy with  _ homework _ ,” Oikawa protests, shoving his cell to the side and dragging his papers back in front of him. “Go away!” 

When Hanamaki is out of sight, Oikawa unlocks his phone again and taps out a response.

[Me - 6:55pm] This made me laugh VERY LOUD IN PUBLIC!!!

Forty five minutes later, Iwaizumi responds.

[Iwa-chan!! <3 - 7:41pm] always the goal.

Oikawa looks away from the screen, smiling.

 

***

 

On the walk back to Oikawa’s apartment - Hanamaki’s is right next door, which Iwaizumi and Matsukawa  _ insist  _ must’ve been on purpose on their part, while Oikawa and Hanamaki say that the universe works in mysterious ways - Hanamaki nudges Oikawa’s shoulder with his own.

“Hey, how’s everything going?” He asks, and Oikawa looks at him, confused.

“Good? You saw me just the other day, nothing much has happened.”

“I know! Sheesh, I try to be a good friend and I’m cast aside.”

“What’s this about?”  

“You just seem...subdued, lately. I figured it was because Iw-. Well. I don’t know what I thought,  _ but _ , it’s weird when you’re not all...perky.”

Oikawa laughs, “It’s weird when  _ you’re  _ serious. I’m fine!”

And he  _ is _ fine, he thinks. Maybe just consistently more tired, and that’s what Hanamaki is picking up on. But he’s not anxious about anything, hasn’t felt  _ depressed  _ since his first year in college, so he knows it’s not that. 

Still, the implication that he’s acting off and that’s being noticed by other people unsettles him a bit. He’s proud of the control he has over the way people see him. Iwaizumi’s always called that faking, but if it makes things easier, Oikawa doesn’t think that’s so bad.  _ And _ , it’s not like Hanamaki’s dense, but he’s never been the first to pick up on Oikawa’s subtle mood shifts. Kuroo’s gotten pretty good at it, but he usually doesn’t bring it up outright, instead trying to cheer Oikawa up without making it obvious. 

Like bringing him coffee unprompted.

Oikawa frowns.  _ Has  _ he been acting strange? He’s never really had to worry about it because Iwaizumi always notices immediately, but now…

Iwaizumi. Now that he’s thinking about him, Oikawa’s chest hurts like it did last night on the phone. It’s a newer sensation, to him, this deep and uncomfortable longing for his best friend’s company.

Oikawa pulls out his cellphone and taps the screen like he’s checking the time. Really, he just wants to see that photo again. And now that he’s seeing it, that ache in his chest doubles. He’s so focused on Iwaizumi, looking just a  _ little bit _ right of the camera. Oikawa thinks he’ll have to ask what he was looking at, some time, if Iwaizumi even remembers.

“When was the last time you saw him?”

Hanamaki’s voice jerks Oikawa out of his strange, sad thought spiral. He looks over and Hanamaki is smiling at the photo of them all.

Oikawa clears his throat. “Last summer.”

Hanamaki stops and grabs Oikawa’s arm to stop him too, nearly jostling the phone out of his hand. “ _ Last summer _ ?” He repeats, mouth agape.

“Uh, yeah?” Oikawa pockets his phone and crosses his arms.

“But! What about Christmas?!”

“I didn’t go home!” Oikawa raises his voice defensively. “And he didn’t visit! We’re adults now, that’s not  _ strange _ .”

“You’re Oikawa and Iwaizumi,” Hanamaki says, like a correction. “And that’s  _ weird _ .”

“He’s been busy! So have I,” Oikawa says, starting to walk again. This conversation is ridiculous, and if they’re going to have it, they better at least be making progress towards home. 

“Yeah, so am I,” Hanamaki jogs to catch up, then falls into step beside Oikawa. “I still visit home at  _ least  _ once a month. That’s what weekends are for. Honestly, I’m more surprised he hasn’t made the trip up to see  _ you _ .”

“Why? He and I put equal effort into this friendship!”

Hanamaki looks like he wants to say more, but thinks better of it and shakes his head.

“Whatever, not important. But that’s ridiculous. You know, the four of us should get together. You, me, Iwaizumi and Issei. I’ll invite them up  _ here _ , if it’s too long a trip for your  _ busy schedule  _ that  _ only you have _ ."

“Don’t be a jerk,” Oikawa elbows him, but the prospect of seeing them again send a warm spark through him, and his next few steps are bouncy. “I  _ guess  _ that’s fine.”

“You’re excited,” Hanamaki says proudly. “Good. Guess I better get them on board.”

They part at the door for Oikawa’s apartment building and Oikawa heads upstairs with a lingering smile. As soon as he’s in his own apartment, he throws himself onto the couch, letting his backpack slide off of his shoulders and onto the floor. It’s Friday, he has no obligations for the weekend, and he feels lighter than he has in weeks.

Rolling over, he sends two separate but identical texts.

[Me - 9:28pm] You’re a good friend ⊂((・▽・))⊃

Hanamaki texts back first.

[Makki <3 - 9:33pm] you too, captain. Night.

Kuroo responds just a few minutes later.

[KT <3 - 9:39pm] what do u want from me

[Me - 9:40pm] Nothing! That was a very serious loving text and you ruined it

[KT <3 - 9:40pm] oh whoops. Ok let me try again.

Kuroo isn’t typing anymore, and Oikawa waits. Suddenly, his phone starts ringing.

“Uh, hello?” Oikawa answers, hesitant.

“Oh, King Goblin, thank you  _ so much  _ for your  _ kind words _ .”

Oikawa hangs up, but he’s laughing.

[Me - 9:42pm] can you demote a knight?

[KT <3 - 9:43pm] idk probably? I think u just kill them

[Me - 9:43pm] okay you’re dead now

[KT <3 - 9:44pm] it was an honor to serve u

Kuroo sends a skull emoji, and Oikawa sets his phone aside with a smile.  


He turns the TV on, curls up with a blanket, and falls asleep to a baking competition, glasses still on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is 1000 words less than chapter one and that feels unbelievable to me?? This felt so long??
> 
> Unpopular opinion: Iwaizumi can't cook to save his life.  
> Second unpopular opinion: Kuroo can be a mix of canon and fanon interpretations and that's fine!!  
> Third unpopular opinion: None of them...want kids...sorry ^^;
> 
> Natto is fermented soybeans! You'll need that knowledge for this chapter. I'm not just. Saying that randomly.
> 
> Please enjoy!! ^^

There’s a light switch in Oikawa’s apartment that does nothing.

The night he’d moved in last fall, he’d stumbled out of his bedroom and into the hall for a glass of water, fumbling his hands against the wall to turn a the light on. His fingers had first found the faulty panel and flick, flick, flicked, but nothing had happened. He’d frowned in the darkness, frustrated that he’d already have to change a light bulb in his new place, and had made it to the kitchen blind.

In the morning, he’d discovered a second switch a few feet across the wall that, when flicked up, turned on the light. Oikawa stared at the first in wonder.

“It makes no sense,” Oikawa said to Kuroo later that day, when Kuroo had come to help him unpack. “There’s no light in the closet, so it’s not like it goes to  _ that _ .”

“It’s not that weird,” Kuroo said, fingers laced beneath a large potted jade plant. It’s small white flowers had disappeared over the summer, and Oikawa was already eager for the next spring. “I feel like every place has one of those. Had one in my room, growing up.”

“Your  _ bedroom _ ?”

Kuroo nodded, following Oikawa into his room and setting the plant onto the small table Oikawa pointed to.

“That’s weird!” Oikawa said. “What if it controls something in someone else’s apartment on accident.”

They’d gone back to the hallway and Oikawa messed with the light switch.

“What if I just...flushed the toilet upstairs?” He’d said excitedly.

“We’d hear water rushing,” Kuroo slapped Oikawa’s hand away from it. “It probably went to a light that no longer exists! This building isn’t exactly young.”

“Maybe it’s like the Death Note,” Oikawa wiggled his eyebrows. 

A sigh. “ _ What _ ?”

“Kuroo Tetsurou,” Oikawa said loudly, flipping it on.

After that, Kuroo hadn’t tolerated  _ any more  _ switch talk. 

Sometimes, though, Oikawa flips it on or off as he walks by, hoping it’ll finally trigger something.

Inexplicably, it’s the first thing he shows Iwaizumi when he shows up the following Friday night with his backpack on his shoulders. As a group, they’d decided that Iwaizumi could room with Oikawa, and Matsukawa with Hanamaki, on their short stay. It’s why Oikawa’s apartment is uncharacteristically pristine.

“This doesn’t do anything,” he explains, fiddling with it to prove his point. “So if you get lost in the dark...” his hand slides further along the wall to the functional switch. “...find this one.”

“Hmm,” Iwaizumi runs his finger over the faulty one, flicking it and looking around them. “Wonder what it goes to.”

“Nothing,” Oikawa says with a frown. “Probably nothing.”

“Probably,” Iwaizumi says. He looks at Oikawa, like he’s studying him, and taps the wall, smiling. “Maybe it does something cool, though.”

Oikawa blinks at him. Iwaizumi’s the first person not to dismiss the switch. “Like...what?”

Iwaizumi shrugs. “I don’t know. Turns something on in someone else’s apartment?”

“That’s what  _ I  _ thought!” Oikawa gasps, grabbing Iwaizumi’s arm. “Kuroo said it was nothing! Kenma too! But I swear it’s gotta do  _ something _ . They don’t just build useless switches, Iwa-chan.”

They both regard the wall for a moment. Finally, Iwaizumi steps away from it. 

“We could smash our way in, see what it’s wired to,” Iwaizumi says. His grin says he’s joking, and he’d definitely stop Oikawa from damaging the building. Still, Oikawa plays along.

“Just headbutt it, I’m sure it’ll bust open under your thick skull!”

Iwaizumi chases Oikawa into the living room and wrestles him into the carpet until Oikawa’s begging for mercy.

_ It’s nice _ , Oikawa thinks, as they both sit up laughing,  _ that some things don’t change. _

 

***

 

There’s no uncomfortable period to get used to being around each other again. They just fall back into their old patterns, their old routines, like a day hadn’t passed apart. Oikawa finds himself whining more but laughing often, and while Iwaizumi still scolds and teases him for his childishness, everything he does suggests to Oikawa that he’s just as happy to see him.  

That night, they settle on the floor in front of Oikawa’s TV together to do homework. Iwaizumi splays out three open textbooks and a notebook riddled with sloppy, unreadable kanji; Oikawa opens a single notebook that he’s highlighted four times over, and his laptop. They leave a cooking show on TV - their agreed upon “studying background noise” - and work. There’s no crossover in their studies anymore, and Oikawa misses being able to bug Iwaizumi for help until they both agree to ditch it for another night.

But this is nice, too.

When their pizza arrives at the door, they argue over who’ll pay in front of the nervous looking delivery girl.

“You’re letting me stay here,” Iwaizumi says. “Let me do this.”

“You’re the  _ guest _ , Iwa-chan!” Oikawa insists, shoving his cash into the girl’s hand and giving her a smile that only proves to piss Iwaizumi off. It’s the smile he perfected in high school to win over girls. Iwaizumi’s never liked it.  
  
Iwaizumi swaps Oikawa’s cash for his own in her palm, and she closes her fingers over it, eyes darting between the two of them uncertainly. Hurriedly, she bows.

“Have a nice night!” She squeaks, blonde ponytail bouncing as she rushes away. 

“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa shuts the door and turns to watch Iwaizumi take the pizza box into the kitchen. Iwaizumi throws a wink over his shoulder.

“You’re welcome!”

“You scared that poor girl!” Oikawa bounces behind him, mouth watering at the smell of grease and cheese, distracting him from his battle.

“Oh, please,” Iwaizumi sets the box on the counter and flips it open. “Thank you, seriously, for letting me stay here. This is the least I can do.”

It’s pizza. Just pizza. But he sounds so sincere that Oikawa leaves it at that.

 

***

 

Later, after a movie, Oikawa wakes up tucked into his own bed. He’s too tired to wonder after how he got there.

 

***

 

In the morning, Oikawa rises to the sound of swearing. He wanders out to the kitchen and finds Iwaizumi, dressed for the day with dripping wet hair, poking at a smoking pan with a spatula. He whips around quickly, ears already pink with embarrassment, when the floorboards creak beneath Oikawa’s feet.

“Don’t look,” Iwaizumi says immediately, spreading his arms out and standing in front of the stove to block the view.

“I think the smell is my biggest clue,” Oikawa says, covering his mouth with a hand a giggling behind it. 

Iwaizumi groans and turns around. He seems to realize his food is a lost cause, because he picks it up and sets it in the sink. It hisses steam when he turns on the faucet. When he turns around again, Oikawa is hardly hiding his laughter, giving Iwaizumi a shaky poker face.

“What were you cooking?” He asks. Iwaizumi points to the box of eggs on the counter. Oikawa gapes. “You-.”

“ _ Don’t. _ ”

“But you-.”

“Shut  _ up _ .”

“ _ Just  _ eggs?” Oikawa bites his lip, but it’s too late. He starts shaking his laughter, leaning against the entryway of the kitchen and holding his stomach. “Iwa-chan!”

“ _ What _ ?!” Iwaizumi whines, but he’s smiling, too. “I was on my phone at the same time! I messed up!”

“You can’t cook eggs,” Oikawa says incredulously, as if he hadn’t heard him. “You’re going to be a bachelor forever.”

After a pause, Iwaizumi says, “Can  _ you _ cook?”

Oikawa straightens up. “I’m no Morimoto, but I’ve kept myself alive these last three years,” he tilts his head. “Why’s your hair wet?”

Iwaizumi walks to the small window by the fridge and cracks it open, hoping to clear the smoke. At the mention of it, he runs a hand back through his hair and wipes it on his shorts. 

“Ah, showered after my run.”

“You went on a  _ run _ ?”

“Yeah, when I woke up,” Iwaizumi frowns. “So?”

“Well...how’d you get back in?” 

“Oh, right,” Iwaizumi digs around in his pocket and pulls out Oikawa’s keychain. “Here, catch.” He tosses it across the room.

Oikawa catches them easily, but he stomps his foot. “You took my keys! And why did you get back into the shorts you  _ ran  _ in!”

“I have a limited amount of clothes with me, Oikawa,” he grins. “But they’re your shorts.”

And yes, Oikawa realizes, they  _ are  _ his shorts. It explains why they’re a little too short and a little too tight and Oikawa stops that train of thought  _ right  _ there. He’s not sure why he got on that train, to begin with. It’s  _ Iwaizumi _ . He blames his coffeeless, sleepy brain and moves on.

“You  _ break into my room _ ,” Oikawa huffs. “Steal  _ my  _ shorts from  _ my  _ dresser, and  _ my  _ keys from  _ my  _ backpack. After I’ve opened my home to you. And then you burn  _ my  _ eggs. You’re a monster.”

“Yep,” Iwaizumi says. “Not to be more of a  _ burden  _ on you, but could you make breakfast instead? I’m starving.”

Oikawa gives up on berating him and sighs, spinning around and walking back toward his room. “If you’d consulted with me first, you’d know that we’re having brunch with Kuroo and Kenma! Give me a minute to get ready and we’ll go!”

“You? A  _ minute  _ to get ready?” Iwaizumi scoffs, loud enough that Oikawa can hear him from down the hall. “Guess I’ll be starving to death!”

“You’re my least favorite friend!” Oikawa shouts.

“I’m the best one you have!”

 

***

 

The four of them meet outside of a quiet cafe, a twenty minute train ride from Oikawa’s apartment and away from the city. It’s cute - Oikawa had found it online after a bit of searching for something that wouldn’t be too crowded - and a little bell on the door chimes as they enter. Soft music is playing as they seat themselves, crowding into a booth with Kuroo and Oikawa on one side, Iwaizumi and Kenma on the other. 

Iwaizumi and Kenma are unlikely friends. Maybe it’s because they’re both grateful for the quiet that their respective  _ best friends  _ don’t always offer. They’d met in Kuroo and Oikawa’s first year at Waseda, over a summer break that had brought Iwaizumi to Tokyo, and had clicked instantly. 

Whatever it was, Oikawa and Kuroo had been forced to accept it.

“Iwa-chan, they have your favorite,” Oikawa flatten Iwaizumi’s menu out of his hands and onto the table, pointing at the starters excitedly.

“What’s that?” Kuroo leans in to look, reading the text beside Oikawa’s finger. “‘Agedashi tofu’? Everything in the world and that’s what you like?”

“It’s  _ nostalgic _ ,” Iwaizumi protests, tugging his menu up and away from them. “My mom used to make it for me after practice in the winter. And it’s  _ good _ . What the hell does your refined palate like?”

“Mackerel,” Kenma says, eyes scanning his own menu. “Do you think the natto’s good?”

Kuroo wrinkles his nose. “Gross, don’t get natto, I don’t want to have to smell that.”

Kenma frowns at him. 

“Are you even Japanese?” Oikawa nudges Kuroo with his shoulder.

“Yes! And we have better food than  _ that _ .”

“It does look gross,” Iwaizumi says.

“ _ Thank you _ , Iwaizumi, my rugged prince,” Kuroo smiles. “Get your tofu, I won’t judge.”

“ _ Your  _ rugged prince?” Oikawa says, turning to face Kuroo more directly. “I’ve known him my whole life! Shouldn’t he be mine?”

“Wow, I’ve been trying to get you to say something like that for two and a half years,” Kuroo says, propping his chin in his hands. “Go on?”

Oikawa blushes bright pink. He briefly glances at Iwaizumi, who’s watching him with his head tilted to the side.

“I’m missing something,” Iwaizumi says, turning his head to look at Kuroo. “Right?”

Before Kuroo can respond, Kenma looks at Kuroo and says, “Does that make you  _ my  _ rugged prince? Is that how this system you’ve made works?”

The way Kuroo stutters makes Oikawa want to sweep Kenma into his arms and sing. He settles for stepping on Kuroo’s toes till the waitress comes to take their order.

Oikawa and Kenma both get natto with their meal.

 

***

 

After brunch, Iwaizumi and Oikawa leave together for the train back into the city. 

“So, what’s next on the agenda?” Iwaizumi asks.

“I’m glad you asked, Iwa-chan! Makki invited us to dinner, so that’s covered, but we’re just gonna head over there now and spend time all together again,” Oikawa’s beaming. “The whole family, together again!”

“Awesome,” Iwaizumi smiles, and it’s so genuine, like he always is. Oikawa looks at it for only a second before turning away, focusing on the sidewalk ahead.

He really did miss this, he realizes. Kuroo and Hanamaki are great, irreplaceable friends. But there’s something else about being with Iwaizumi that they can’t compare to. Oikawa knows, at the heart of it, that it’s the history they share. He wonders, though, about the future. 

A realistic future for them does not mean frequent visits. Oikawa’s sure Iwaizumi will stay close to Miyagi, even after university, while he himself has never wanted anything more than to live in a big, busy city like Tokyo. They’ll probably remain two hours away by train for the rest of their lives.

But what about when Iwaizumi gets married? Has kids? Buys a house and raises his family and doesn’t have time for two hour train rides, however infrequent they may be? Oikawa thinks back to the months they’ve been apart, the late night phone calls that do little to ease the aches he’s been feeling more and more?

It’s impossible to live your whole life side by side with someone who gets you more than you’ll ever get yourself, then suddenly find yourself alone.

Oikawa’s mouth feels dry.

“Iwa-chan,” he blurts out. “Do you want kids?”

“Hmm?” Iwaizumi shrugs. “No, not really. Does anyone from our generation want kids?”

“Well, there’s gotta be some,” Oikawa says, finding his normal voice. It’s hard to shake himself from thoughts that spiral out of his control like that. “But I don’t want them either.”

“I can’t imagine you having kids,” Iwaizumi says with a breathy laugh. “So that’s probably for the best.”

Oikawa glares and bumps into him. “My never-existent kids would be gorgeous.”

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi nods. He doesn’t say anything else, and Oikawa nearly trips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's chit chat at oikawakaashi.tumblr.com !!! I love talking and I love iwaoi and I love...friends...!!! ^^

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me at oikawakaashi.tumblr.com ! I love talking <3


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